1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a half-fitting prevention connector which is extensively used to connect wire ends of a wire harness in an automobile, and is capable of detecting a half-fitted condition. More particularly, the present invention relates to a half-fitting prevention connector having a resilient member for producing a repelling force in one connector in a half-fitted condition.
The present application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. Hei. 11-243939, which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, various electronic equipment has been mounted on various types of automobiles, and various connectors have been extensively used to provide a connection between such electronic equipment and a connection between wire harnesses. IN a production process and at the time of maintenance, the two connectors are fitted together so as to be electrically connected together. At this time, unless the two connectors are completely fitted together, the electrical connection between the two is incomplete. Therefore, there has been proposed a half-fitting prevention connector having the function of pushing two connectors, fitted together in a half-fitted condition, away from each other, and when the two connectors are completely fitted together, the two connectors are retained relative to each other, thereby preventing the two connectors from being easily disengaged from each other.
One such conventional half-fitting prevention connector will now be described with reference to FIGS. 11 and 12. This connector is of such a construction that a female connector (one connector) 51 and a male connector (the other connector) 52, when fitted together, are prevented from being kept in a half-fitted condition.
The female connector 51 includes a housing 53, a connection portion 61 for connection to the mating male connector 52, and retaining means 71 for retaining the connector when the two connectors are connected together, the connection portion 61 and the retaining means 71 being provided within the housing 53. A half-fitting prevention function is provided at the retaining means 71.
The connection portion 61 is provided at a lower side of a partition wall 54 dividing the interior of the housing 53 into an upper and a lower section. Female terminals 64 are inserted respectively in terminal receiving chambers 63, formed by partition walls 62, against withdrawal. Each female terminal 64 is retained by one end of the partition wall 62 against withdrawal, and one end of the female terminal 64 communicates with an insertion hole 62a through which a male terminal 83 in the male connector 52 can be passed, and a wire 56 is connected to the other end of the female terminal 64.
The retaining means 71 comprises a lock member 72, which is pivotally movable about an axis on the housing 53, and is movable in a longitudinal direction of the housing 53, and a spring 73 which normally urges this lock member 72 in a direction of arrow A.
The mating male connector 52 includes an insertion frame 82 which projects from a base plate 81 so as to be fitted into the female connector 51, and the connection terminals 83 are inserted in the male connector 52 against withdrawal. A retaining projection 84 for retaining engagement with a retaining portion 75 is formed on an upper surface of the insertion frame 82 disposed above the connection terminals 83. In accordance with the connector-fitting operation, this retaining projection 84 pushes the lock member 72 against the bias (resilient force) of the spring 73, so that a half-fitted condition is detected.
Next, the fitting operation of the female and male connectors 51 and 52 will be described.
First, when the insertion frame 82 of the male connector 52 is inserted into gaps G1 and G2 in the female connector 51, the retaining projection 84, formed on the male connector 52, is brought into abutting engagement with the retaining portion 75 formed at the distal end of the lock member 72. Then, when the female connector 51 is further pushed, the whole of the lock member 72 is moved rearward against the bias of the spring 73, so that the front end of the housing 53 comes closer to the base plate 81 of the male connector 52.
However, the retaining portion 75 is not retained by the retaining projection 84, and therefore if the pushing force ceases to be applied to the female connector 51, the female connector 51 is withdrawn in a disengaging direction, so that the half-fitted connection is prevented.
Then, when the female connector 51 is further pushed, the whole of the lock member 72 is moved toward the rear end of this connector, so that a lock cancellation projection 76, formed on the lock member 72, slides over a lock cancellation projection 78 formed on the housing 53. Namely, the distal end portion of the lock member 72 is forcibly lifted, and the whole of the lock member 72 is pivotally moved about support projections 77, so that the lock member 72 is pushed by the resilient force of the spring 73 in the direction of arrow A (see FIG. 11).
When the whole of the lock member 72 is thus pushed in the direction of arrow A, the retaining portion 75 slides over the retaining projection 84, and is retained by this retaining projection 84, so that the female connector 51 is fitted on the male connector 52 against withdrawal.
Therefore, when the female connector 51 is disposed in a half-fitted condition relative to the male connector 52, the lock member 72 is not pivotally moved, and is pushed away from the male connector 51 by the resilient force of the spring 73.
In the above conventional half-fitting prevention connector, however, the lock member 72 has the half-fitting prevention function and the retaining function which are performed when fitting the female connector 51 on the male connector 52. Therefore, for example, if the lock member 72 should be damaged, the half-fitting prevention function and the retaining function are both lost. In such a case, whether or not a half-fitted condition is encountered can not be judged, and there has been a possibility that the female connector 51 is withdrawn after it is connected to the male connector.
And besides, the lock member 72, having the retaining portion 75, is combined with the spring 73, and therefore it is rather cumbersome to mount the lock member on the housing 53, which has invited a problem that the productivity is not high.